Curtain-raising device for vehicles



(No Model.)

E. RUSING, I. R. 'DONEGHO 82; H. E. RUSING.

CURTAIN 1141mm; DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

No. 491,665. Patented Feb. 14, 1893.

, I I-' i -J WITNESSES: INVENTOHS'.

wxw' 5%, 4;. 4%: m fi g ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD RUSING, ISAAC R. DONECHO, AND HENRY E. RUSING, OF MARIETTA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CU RTAlN-RAISING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 491,665, dated February 14., 1893.

Application filed February 20, 1892. Serial No. 422.201- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD RUSING, ISAAC R. DoNEoHo, and HENRY E. Rnsrne, citizens of the United States, residing in Narietta, county of Lancaster, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Devices for Raising the Back Curtains of Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of devices used for raising the back curtains of vehicles and holding the same in an elevated position; and is intended more particularly for wagons used by butchers, vegetable dealers, and others who sell their goods from door to door; and the object of the invention is to permit the driver to open and close the back curtain without leaving his seat, and to protect his customers from the sun and rain while they are examining the goods in the wagon.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of the various parts, as hereinafter fully described, and then specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the body of a vehicle provided with our invention, the back curtain being closed and Fig. 2 a similar section, but showing the back curtain raised.

' Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the back curtain and the frame to which it is attached. Fig. 4 is a view of the reverse side of the lever carrying the dog and its attachments.

Similar letters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the details of the drawings, A indicates the floor of the wagon; a, the dashboard; B, the seat; and a, the tail board.

D indicates the side posts; (1, the cap at the top of the posts; E, the top, and e the bows supporting the top. There is a curved rack G secured to the cap 61 above the seat and a lip g is also secured to said cap above the center of the rack. A lever H is pivoted to the side of lip g and lies flush against the face of the rack-plate. On the front edge of lever H there is secured a sliding-dog I, having the inner end adapted to engage notches in the periphery of the rack and its outer end piv otally connected with a bent lever 21, pivoted in an arm h projecting from the edge of lever H. The lever 2' is actuated to force the dog into engagement with the notches in the rack by a springl,secured to lever H. From three of the intermediate bows c there" depend eyes m, which support a sliding rod M having two movable collars, m and a, locked thereon by set screws. A rod L is pivotallyconnected with the lever H and the collar m.-

The curtain F is attached to a frame formed of horizontal bars f and vertical bars f and hinged to the top of the wagon,as shown at 19. On the inner face of one of the vertical bars there is fastened a bracket f and arod N is pivotally connected with said bracket and the collar or. The employment of the sliding-rod allows the connection between the lever and curtain frame to be raised entirely above the space occupied by theload and prevents it from being interfered with in handling goods in the vehicle or itself interfering with the handling of the goods.

The manner of operating the device will readily be understood. To raise the curtain the dog is disengaged from the rack by depressing the outer end of lever i, as shown in Fig. 1, and then the free end of lever H is swung backward, raising the frame and ourtain, as seen in Fig. 2, by its action on the rods L, M, and N. The curtain is held in an elevated position by the engagement of the dog with one of the rear notches in the rack. To close the curtain the operation is reversed. The driver can in this way raise and lower the back curtain to allow his customers to examine and make selections from his goods without leaving his seat or losing control of his horse; at the same time the raised curtain forms a roof or canopy to protect the customer from sun or rain.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a vehicle, the combination, with the frame of a curtain having one edge hingedto the vehicle, of a sliding rod supported beneath the roof thereof, a lever pivoted forward of said curtain frame, a pivoted connection betweenthe sliding rod and the lever, and a con necting-rod between the sliding rod and 2 ceases the curtain frame pivotally attached to both, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a vehicle, the combination, with the frame of a curtain having one edge hinged to the vehicle, ofa sliding-rod supported beneath the roof thereof, a lever pivoted forward of said curtain frame, a rod pivoted to the lever and having an adjustable pivoted connection with the sliding rod, and another rod having an adjustable pivoted connection with the sliding-rod and pivotally connected with the curtain frame, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a vehicle, the combination, with the frame of a curtain having one edge hinged to the vehicle, of eyes fastened to the frame of purpose specified.

EDWARD RUSING. I. R. DONEOHO. H. E. RUSING. Witnesses:

GEO. A. LANE, WM. R. GERHARD. 

